I hope I don't muddy these waters already clouded with the blood and chum of new hardware.
I bought the Afterburner II 5 string from Bass Northwest which started, in cahoots with John H. who played BassNW's ABII6, this conversation around the Mach II's. I don't have another Dingwall bass to form any comparative opinion. What I can say is this instrument delivers unambiguous 'bark'. Big dog bark.
Using the bridge pickup alone, the fundamental is suppressed as one would expect, yet the overtones give a lower midrange fullness some have described as a burp, squawk or fart. No wonder more men than women play bass with metafors like that. But then... how would a lady say it?
In my case, getting deeper bass means blending in the neck pickup or active boost via the tone controls. Even without boost the sound is even and powerful across all 5 strings. That active boost, by the way, doesn't encompass much of the fundamental (a good thing) but does it ever give weight and throw to all 5 strings.
In the end, my suspicion is the Mach II pickup increases definition more than the volume of the fundamental. Not having prior experience I'm sticking my neck out here, so firsthand corroboration is very welcome.
For you guys in Greece, don't even read this. The Canadian economy is dependent on your unquestioning belief in Sheldon and his men.
Cheers,